Betting on the Super Bowl has become bigger business than the game itself over the past decade, and for the first week and a half, the Indianapolis Colts were the darlings of the gambling world. That has all changed, however, in the days leading up to the big game.
The opening betting line for the Super Bowl was the Colts minus five. The early betting money in Las Vegas sports books came in on the Colts, making odds makers slowly increase the line until it reached seven earlier this week. Now, the number is trending back down.
As of Friday afternoon, the line for the Super Bowl was back where it started, at Colts minus five. That indicates that much of the late money is coming in on the side of the New Orleans Saints. A team that many analysts believe will lose has captured the wallets of gamblers in recent days.
New Orleans came into Super Bowl week with questions relating to stopping Peyton Manning in his quest for a second NFL championship. Now, it appears that there are fans who believe that even if Manning is not stopped, Drew Brees and company can outscore the AFC champs.
The betting total for the game has not moved much since it jumped after the opening line was released. The total is now up to fifty-seven in some sports books, meaning that bettors believe there will be even more scoring than first anticipated.
With less than two days left until kickoff, there is still time for the odds to change. In the past, the lines have moved all the way up until game time, and there is little reason to believe that will not happen here. New Orleans has made believers out of a lot of people this year, and it now looks as though they have brought gamblers on to their bandwagon.